The rising popularity of the Internet in recent years has created a strong incentive for people to own a personal computer. In addition, as moderately-priced computers have become available, the personal computer has been transformed into a recreational and entertainment device rather than just a tool for the business and scientific community. However, as a result of the complexity of modern computers, many computer users are unable even to identify the particular hardware and software components that make up their computer.
For example, this situation often occurs when a computer user wishes to purchase supplies for their computer over the Internet. To ensure the user purchases the correct supplies, the user must first determine which types of supplies are compatible with the computer by consulting equipment manuals or determining the manufacturer and model of the various components of the computer. This can be difficult and frustrating to users with little technical training or skills. Thus, it would be preferable if the information could be determined automatically and communicated to the external site without the user's involvement.